Lloyd Madison Farms IV's homebred Sconsin overhauled favored Four Graces at the eighth pole to win the 65th running of the $300,000 Eight Belles Presented by TwinSpires.com (GII) for 3-year-old fillies by 2 ¼ lengths.
Trained by Greg Foley and ridden by James Graham, Sconsin covered the seven furlongs on a fast main track in 1:21.30.
“When this race came up on paper we sort of thought the pace scenario could work in our favor,” Foley said. “This filly was very impressive at Keeneland against Four Graces. She got a great ride by James (Graham) and cruised home. It's very exciting winning with a filly like this on such a big stage as the Kentucky Oaks. Hopefully we can do it again tomorrow with Major Fed in the Derby.”
Mundaye Call and Four Graces dueled through early fractions of :22.11 and :44.14 as Sconsin trailed in the field five. On the far turn, Sconsin began to pick off horses, drew even with Four Graces at midstretch and drew off for the victory.
Sconsin, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Include out of the Tiznow mare Sconnie, earned $186,000 with the victory to increase her bankroll to $301,512 with a record of 8-3-2-1.
“She ran huge. She likes this racetrack evidently,” Graham said. “They ran fast in front of her and she picked them off. Can't ask for any more than that. The two favorites are speed horses, so all you can hope is that they hook up and kill each other off. My filly was just happier today. Those two had pace pressure and we just finished them off.”
Sconsin returned $16.40, $3.60 and $2.40. Four Graces, ridden by Julien Leparoux, returned $2.60 and $2.10 and finished 1 ¾
lengths in front of Never Forget who paid $3.80 to show under Javier Castellano.
It was another length back to Mundaye Call who was followed by Extra Effort.
Julien Leparoux (rider, Four Graces, second) – “She ran a good race. We had speed, the other one had speed. She was maybe a little fresh but other than that, I tried to rate her but she was taking the bit. She ran a good race though.”
Ian Wilkes (trainer, Four Graces, second) — “The filly was a little fresh today, but let's not take anything away from the winner. The winner ran her race, she ran her race. That filly's been knocking on the door. Every race, she runs her race and she's right there. It looked like it was going to be the two of us (favorites) going out front and hope we didn't set it up. But the other filly ran good. I'm proud of my horse, she didn't quit. My filly runs her race. I've got to let her run her race. I freshened her up, I backed off her. I don't want to make excuses today. My filly ran good.”
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